Chapter 66

The battle between Emerald and Ruby lasted longer than expected.

There were moments when neither could harm the other, and partly because Emerald didn’t attack Ruby with her full intent.

In fact, Emerald’s ability even included self-healing.

No matter how hard Ruby charged at her, all attacks were healed, rendering them meaningless.

“…This is less fun than I thought.”

I was expecting a battle where Emerald would shoot barrages of hope energy, and Ruby would dodge them while engaging in close combat.

If I wanted to watch such primitive hand-to-hand combat, I might as well have watched monsters fighting each other. That would’ve been way more entertaining.

“…Akari, are you okay? You’re bleeding heavily.”

“…Cough.”

I let out a small cough as Sapphire pressed hard on my neck, which was gushing blood.

Two holes in my stomach, one in my neck—how could I possibly be okay?

If I were an ordinary human, I would’ve been dead by now from such fatal wounds.

“…Akari.”

“…”

My eyes widened as something hot dripped onto my face.

The face looking down at me was undoubtedly Sapphire’s, but the only difference was the tears streaming down her eyes.

‘…I don’t understand why she’s crying.’

Sapphire and I had only known each other for about a week.

Crying like this over someone you’ve only known for a week, especially over a monster? What’s wrong with magical girls’ emotions?

And the emotions in those tears weren’t something that could be formed in just a week.

‘It’s as if she’s known me for a long time—’

“…Akari.”

This time, something red fell.

A streak of fresh blood flowed from my lips, which were pale and torn to the point of bursting.

Fear, hatred, anger, pity, joy, ecstasy, relief.

The voice, mixed with all these emotions, could no longer be considered that of a magical girl.

A monster.

It was something that seemed to blend all human emotions.

“Run away.”

“…”

“Please….”

With those words, the last glimmer of light in Sapphire’s eyes disappeared.

But in contrast, my vision began to glow brightly from the light she emitted.

The fangs of hope, meant to sever the breath of the monster, revealed themselves.

BOOM!!!!!!

“Ugh…”

“…”

In the blink of an eye, my body was flung into the air.

No, to be precise, I hit the ground and bounced back.

‘…Her eyes are completely gone, that girl.’

The once rational, sparkling eyes were now completely blackened.

To emit this much hope while harboring such emotions—something’s definitely wrong.

I let out a hollow laugh as I watched Sapphire, who was now expressionless, staring at me as I coughed up blood.

Ah, I see. That’s it.

‘It must be the hope of finally getting the chance to eliminate a lifelong enemy.’

The current Sapphire is a completely different being from the Sapphire of a few minutes ago.

The Sapphire trying to kill me must be the one with memories of the Apocalypse.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be trying to kill me like this.

‘…By the way, this is bad.’

While floating in the air, it would be quite difficult to dodge Sapphire’s next attack.

I smirked as I saw Sapphire flying towards me in the blink of an eye.

Even as a magical girl, she can make such an expression.

The ecstasy of being able to kill something.

Because her expressions are usually minimal, I could clearly discern her emotions.

SLASH—

“Hah…”

But Sapphire’s attack never reached me.

A giant tentacle that rose from the sea wrapped around my body and pulled me away.

“I thought you were dead… Hah…!”

Sapphire’s expressionless face cracked, seemingly displeased that her attack missed.

Getting shaken over something like that.

It was a sight never seen in the original Sapphire, and I couldn’t help but feel amused.

Just how much did she want to kill the Apocalypse?

‘By the way, this girl… I thought she was dead, but she’s still alive?’

I frowned at the tentacle wrapped around my waist.

I thought Emerald was dead since she came this way, but it seems she was just pretending.

Playing dead till the end, huh? Tsk.

Though I was glad she was alive and helped me.

KYYYYAAAAAHHHHH—

“Sigh…”

If you scream like that, the magical girls I just shook off will come back, you idiot.

I sighed as I looked at the squid head screaming for the island to move away.

‘…How will the other magical girls see this situation?’

A magical girl attacking an innocent girl?

The other magical girls wouldn’t know the story between Sapphire and me, so they could easily misunderstand the situation.

So, what should I do?

Should I pretend to be the innocent victim? Or—

SLASH—

“Got you, Apocalypse!!!”

“…Ah.”

…I thought Ruby was being held by Emerald.

I let out a short sigh as I looked at the arm that was severed along with the tentacle.

It seems her desire to kill the Apocalypse overcame Emerald.

‘Then there’s no other choice.’

I have no choice but to use the last remaining method.

***

“No…”

The explosive hope I felt from Akari.

That meant Sapphire had attacked Akari.

Otherwise, Sapphire wouldn’t have been able to draw out that much hope.

“…You just despaired, didn’t you?”

“Kuh?!”

A momentary gap.

As soon as I heard Ruby’s voice, I snapped back to reality, but it was already too late.

The balance of my hope-enhanced body was broken, and I froze momentarily.

No matter how hard I tried to think hopeful thoughts, watching Ruby’s back fade away only made despair grow instead of hope.

‘Move, move, Emerald…!!’

No matter what happens, don’t fall.

No matter what happens, don’t give up!

Gritting my teeth, I somehow managed to move my body and started chasing after Ruby’s back.

Please, please don’t be late.

Please let me reach her before Ruby harms Akari.

Please.

“Aka—”

But my desperation didn’t reach Akari.

SLASH—

“…ri.”

Scattered blood. A severed arm. And a falling girl.

My pounding heart felt like it was climbing up my throat, ready to spill out.

No, no, no…!!

“…! Emerald…?!”

Despite the despair that should’ve been the only thing left in my heart, my arm was somehow holding onto Akari.

It was a speed I couldn’t comprehend.

Logically, I shouldn’t have been able to reach her—it felt like someone had pulled me.

But that didn’t matter.

What mattered now was that Akari was in my arms.

“Ah, ah, ah…”

“…”

“How, how, what should I do…”

Her eyes were open, but there was no focus in them.

Even as I tried to stop the bleeding with my trembling hands, blood continued to seep through my fingers.

If this continues, Akari will die.

I have to do something, anything…

“Why are you so desperate?”

“…”

“Were you brainwashed by the Apocalypse? Or did she seem like an ordinary person to you? Answer me, Emerald!”

I felt nauseous at Ruby’s voice, which sounded like she couldn’t understand.

What are you even saying, Ruby?

Even if she’s not an ordinary person, if she’s innocent, shouldn’t we protect her?

Isn’t that what magical girls are supposed to do?!

“It’s over, Emerald. It’s time to sever the ties with the Apocalypse—”

“…Stop.”

“…What?”

“Just, stop.”

My emotions were so intense that I couldn’t breathe.

The anger and hatred boiling inside me—and the sadness that surpassed them—were choking me.

Somehow, I managed to speak through gritted teeth, and Ruby’s eyes widened in shock.

“Why, why are you, hic… making such a shocked face?”

“…Emerald.”

“My, my…”

My friend.

Killed.

A murderer.

“Ugh… Hic…”

I swallowed the words that couldn’t form and hugged Akari’s body.

Akari was no longer breathing.

The faint heartbeat I always felt was gone.

Even the faint body temperature that proved she was alive, colder than others, had now disappeared.

Death.

Something I had experienced so much in the previous world that I was sick of it, yet could never get used to.

“…d.”

“…Ah, Akari?”

But there was a miracle.

Faintly, so faintly that even I could barely hear it, a voice slowly reached my ears.

She’s alive. Still alive.

She’s not dead.

As long as she’s alive, I can do something—

‘Stop, hold it back.’

Suppress the hope.

Don’t hope any more than this.

If I hope too much, Akari’s life will be in danger.

So, just focus on the situation at hand.

“…Emer, ald. Are you, there?”

“Yes, I’m here. I’m here, Akari.”

I quickly responded to the faint, almost breaking voice.

Akari’s strength was already far below rock bottom, heading deep underground.

Soon, Akari will die.

The sudden thought made my voice calm down instead.

I didn’t want to show Akari an ugly face at the end.

“…Before, you. Asked me, if there was, something, I wanted, right?”

“Yes, yes, I did. Did you think of something you want? What can I give you, Akari?”

A friend’s last wish.

Something Akari, who never wanted anything before, now desires in this moment.

Her slowly parting lips whispered the name of what she desired into my ear.

“Give me your despair.”

And.